Women in Entertainment Power 100

Never Miss A Story.

Daily Edition

EA plays some Chicago blues

Empty

Electronic Arts has closed its Chicago studio, laying off more than 140 people.

The move is part of a reorganization effort by the leading game publisher to shed more than 350 jobs.

In an internal memo leaked to the gaming press, EA Games president Frank Gibeau termed the closure the "the toughest decision of my career," but he added, "The location has grown dramatically in the past three years while revenue from the games developed there has not."

EA Chicago developed a series of Def Jam-branded console games, which proved to be a disappointment at retail, and was working on an unnamed title based on a Marvel comic book license.